Different suggestions as to the original meaning of the name include "Scáil's River" (Scáil Ní Mhúirnáin is a character in a local legend), "River of the Shadows", or "Ford of the Heroes".[3][4]
Statue of Tom Crean, with the South Pole Inn in the background
The late Tadhg Kennedy gave this explanation of the origin of the name in his submission to the Bureau of Military History of Ireland:
'The name of the village, Annascaul, is derived from the ford at that point where the road to Dingle leads across the river Scál and is a corruption of the word, Átha-na-Scáil, meaning, in English, the River of the Hero, and the hero being Cuchulainn whose grave is reputed to be on the side of the mountain above Droumavalla, north of Annascaul... There was a controversy in the "Leader" years ago about the meaning of the word Annascaul and I remember Dr. Douglas Hyde,"Beirt Fhear" (Mr. J.J. Doyle) and Mr. D.P. Moran, editor of the "Leader", visited Annascaul to carry out investigations locally into it. My grandmother determined it for them as Átha-an-scáil by the way in which she pronounced the word and her traditional knowledge that the lake, about two miles north of the village, is known as Loch-an-Scáil, and is traditionally associated with Cuchulainn, the legendary hero.'[5]
Geography
Annascaul Lake from the south, with the Slieve Mish range in the background
The Dingle Way walking route passes through the village.[6] Annascaul Lake is situated inland and just above the village.
History
The village is of relatively modern origins, having grown up around the beginning of the nineteenth century.[7] In 1837 it was described as:
"...containing 11 houses and 92 inhabitants. This place is situated in a pleasant valley on the new mail coach road from Tralee to Dingle, to each of which it has a penny post recently established."[8]
